Ever been misgendered by a barista? The LOL Word is transforming comedy

This queer collective proves there’s a place for comedy that isn’t straight or male with a heart-rendingly hilarious Edinburgh show

Jodie Mitchell is slowly moving around the stage, blowing into a microphone. Playing God, Mitchell puffs heavily, so as to clear an imaginary cloud, before pointing out some of the omnipotent deity’s more questionable creations, from the bee sting to the – what’s that? Ah, yes, the fragile male ego. Mitchell, cool and charismatic throughout, exhales loudly on to the invisible patriarchal mindset, which responds by crying like a baby. The audience erupts with laughter.

This is the LOL Word, a collective of queer female and non-binary comedians founded at the Edinburgh festival three years ago by five friends who were all bored by the male-dominated comedy industry. Alongside Mitchell, they are Chloe Petts, Chloe Green and comedy duo Shelf (Rachel Watkeys Dowie and Ruby Clyde, who have produced the current show from afar). There’s also a changing lineup of special guests. Their name, as many queer women will know, is a play on the infamous TV series The L Word.

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